Desert Mountain plays host to the Women's Southwestern Am (Credit: Southwestern Am)

In an effort to create some continuity, the Women's Elite Amateur Series was announced in January. It will launch in the summer of 2024. The intention of this series, which mirrors the Men's EAGS, is designed to bring the best women amateurs together more regularly.

Of the events selected, the Southwestern Women's Amateur is one of the youngest. 2021 marked the inaugural tournament.

The collection of five women’s events that will make up the WEAGS boasts centuries of tradition and history. Two events are more than 100 years old - The Women's Western Amateur (124 years) and the North & South Women's Amateur (122 years). 

While the Southwestern Amateur on the men’s side has a long history, the women’s event will happen for just the fourth time this June in Arizona. 

“We’re very happy and proud that we were asked,” Southwestern Amateur Executive Director John Ranslem said. “To get in after doing this now for three years is exciting.”

Ranslem has been involved with the Southwestern Amateur for 15 years. He’s been Executive Director for ten years and will step down in July, handing the role to Le Ann Finger. 

COVID-19 delayed the event’s launch by a year. One silver lining for the 2021 inaugural Southwestern Women's Amateur was that many international players couldn’t travel home and were around to create a strong field. 

“There is a real need for more tournaments for women, in general,” Ranslem said. “The women’s game has taken off in the last ten years.”

The expanding talent pool and lack of women's events have created tension across the women's game. Ranslem estimated that there might be about 180 tournaments for women that cater to a wide spectrum of talent. That’s far fewer than on the men’s side, which pushes well into the hundreds. The men have options; the women don’t, and as elite women try to round out their schedule, many events on the women’s side conflict with each other. 

To mirror the growth of the women's game, the Southwestern Amateur Board of Directors added four women to the panel - Le Ann Finger, Diane Thomas, Ellen O'Hara, and Brenda Williams. 

Now, the WEAGS is helping five events stand out from the crowd. The top elite players can mix in a possible invite to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April and a U.S. Amateur berth for a solid, coherent, competitive season.

RELATED: Women's Elite Amateur Series to Begin Summer 2024

At the announcement of the Men's Elite Amatuer Series in December of 2021, Andy Priest, Executive Director of the Southern Golf Association and Chairperson of the Elite Amateur Golf Series said, "A rising tide lifts all boats."

In the press release announcing the WEAGS, Andy Priest said, “Since day one, our goal has been to align the top competitive amateur events in the United States, not only for the men’s game but for the women’s game as well."

He continued.

“We are excited to play a leading role in elevating elite women’s golf by providing these athletes with an aligned summer schedule of competition at some of the most renowned venues in the country conducted by historic organizations and world-class resorts.”

This summer, the women's game gets to rise, too. And the Southwestern Amateur is ready to welcome the best and brightest women's players to Desert Mountain.

What makes the Southwestern Women's Amateur stand out, even as a burgeoning event?

“It’s one of the only events completely run by volunteers,” Ranslem said.

It’s a point of pride because many events around the country are organized by the host club or by a golf association that is organizing the event. 

Ranslem also pointed to the partnership between the event and Desert Mountain. 

“I think the Southwestern has the best venue of any amateur tournament,” Ranslem said. “I know I’m sticking my neck out saying that, but once you experience it, anyone would understand how great it is.”

In 2011, the Southwestern Amateur entered a partnership with Desert Mountain. The site has seven championship courses on its property, which provide a rare opportunity to move events around to different courses each year. Consistency makes hosting the event easier for players and organizers. Things are more predictable, and there's also the added benefit of adding a bit of variety every year for the competitors as they compete on a different course.

Ranslem admitted that finding venues in the region, stretching from California to Texas, was often a challenge. Sometimes courses didn’t measure up to the event’s status. It was also a taxing endeavor to lock down sites year in and year out.

“It has one of the best practice facilities in the country,” Ranslem said. “And we give the players full access to everything while they’re there.”

The first three winners of the Southwestern Women's Amateur were all college players - Ching-Tzu Chen (Oregon), Camille Boyd (U. of Washington), and Sophie Zhang-Murphy (Princeton).

Adding Elite Amateur Series status to the Southwestern Women's Amateur is sure to help build this young event’s legacy, as it has all the pieces it needs to attract strong fields.

2024 Women’s Elite Amateur Golf Series Schedule:

May 29-31 | 4th Sea Island Women’s Amateur, Sea Island Golf Club (Seaside), St. Simons Island, GA
June 12-15 | Southwestern Women's Amateur, Desert Mountain Club (Outlaw), Scottsdale, AZ
June 25-29 | North & South Women's Amateur, Pinehurst Resort & Country Club (No. 2/No. 4), Pinehurst, NC
July 16-20 | Women's Western Amateur, Onwentsia Club, Lake Forest, IL
July 23-25 | 94th LNGA Amateur, Hot Springs Country Club, Hot Springs, AR

For more information on the Men's and Women's Elite Amateur Series and the complete WEAGS press release, visit the Elite Amateur Series website.